Gourmet in Phoenix

This counter service eatery in a Mesa strip mall features a small but tight menu of traditional Filipino dishes, a deli case of desserts and snacks, and a small buffet, or turo-turo (the Filipino term for “point-point”) of daily-changing selections of Filipino fare. Featuring an abundance of pork, rice, and dishes spiked with vinegar, garlic, and soy sauce, look for items such as the noodle dish, pancit palabok, tender chicken inasal with a uniquely flavorful marinade, and the Filipino comfort dish, dinuguan, featuring fatty and crispy pork belly pieces covered in a clingy and thick sauce of pig’s blood, garlic, and vinegar. At the end of the meal, don’t miss a sweet slurp of the traditional Filipino parfait, halo-halo.

Nestled along the Camelback Corridor is The Ritz-Carlton. More of a small town in itself than a mere resort, it contains a 281-room hotel, Dove Mountain Golf Club, a fitness center, a heated outdoor pool, a sundeck, and three dining options: a bistro, a lounge, and a bar. The main restaurant, bistro 24, has earned the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine two years in a row. To pair with the exceptional list of red and white vino, the restaurant offers breakfast items like steel cut oatmeal brûlée, lunch sandwiches like crab cake and beef tenderloin, and dinners like veal osso bucco and lamb tenderloin. Happy hour is a must with $5 bar bites and drinks, including fried cheddar cheese curd with whole grain mustard aioli, truffle fries, sommelier’s wine of the day, and Bejeweled Bling (tequila, Cointreau, prickly pear). Not your kind of drink? The Ritz-Carlton also has a stellar afternoon tea Wednesday through Saturday with English tea service, finger sandwiches, fresh-baked scones, and French pastries – children always welcome.

Join Tom’s Restaurant & Tavern and IMAGO Style for an authentic speakeasy party to benefit Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock on Feb. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock provides a space and programs where teens can express themselves through music, dance, and other creative outlets. Tom’s Restaurant & Tavern will be hosting a night of good food, cocktails, and company to benefit this local charity.